Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-04-28
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FORT PILLow.-Reduced from Harper ).

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FORT PILLow.-Reduced from Harpors.
what, no one could say; then, may be, with
an officer and number of men, it was a
tramp, begun after bedtime, to the sub
urbs, all quietly; sort Of scouting expedi-
ton that always ended in weary legs and
good appetites. for breakfast.
About this time General Sherman organ
lied, at Memphis, an army to advance on
Vicksburg, and the wharf was lined with
steamboats, loading with provisions, nu-
nltions of war, and q little later, men. One
day great many boats loaded with sol.
diers left the landing and steamed down
the river. 1t was known to all that there
was to be fight, and the writer remelu-
bers looking at the many men that crowded
the decks of these steamers az the bells
rang, signaling the engineers to put on
steam, when tho wheels began slowly
turning, lashing and churning the water
near by; the boats gently swung round
with their prows down stream, then get
ting out into the main channel a full head
of steam was turned on and that heGving
sound characteristic of boat under full
Roadway began; and the men raised their
hats and cheered wildly and long
They seemed more bent on q pleasure
excursion than to give battle and meet
determined and powerful foe. The writer
remembers looking at them in this jolly
mood and wondering how MANY Of the
merry ones would soon find n grave on a
battle-fe and what number would return
manned and wounded. Not very long WIS
it when word came that Sherman had been
repulsed at ViclSsburg and in little wbils
after, whole boat loads of wounded sol.
diers came up from below.
About the middle of January. 1863,
comrade of the writer-a warm friend
was taken seriously sick and had TO be &C.
moved to the regimental hospital. That
he might have special care and be made SIS
comfortable as possible, the writer accom-
panied him thither and remained with him
some weeks, till his friends came from the
North and took him home to die.
Becoming acquainted with the surgeons
in charge and liking them, and not liking
the irregular and mixed duties OF soldier
life about tho city, the writer was induced
to remain and become a regular hospital
attache. The building occupied was
double frame structure, having a partition
from front to rear throughthe center, with
no doors of communication. It was two
stories high ana up stairs and down had
"
ing On either side OF the partition vera
two rooms, one in front ard one in resr,
and o hallway with fight Of stairs that
led to the second story, arranged precisely
like the lower.
One side the partition with its four rooms
was occupied by the sick-each room form.
ed a separate ward and for three months
during the winter OF 1898 these apart.
ments were literally crowded with tho
sick from one regiment.
The other SIDE the partition wa5 occu-
pied for offices and used - storage rooms.
Back OF the main building ami adjoining
thereto was long, low structure used as
a kitchen and dining room.
There was d great deal of sickness ANA
many deaths this winter The most fatal
disease was measles. Quite q proportion
Of the newly-enlisted men had never had
measles and among this class that disease
played havoc A number Of great strap
ping fellows in tho wii crs company
had never had the disease and were soon
attacked with ii, some OF whom died, 9th
ers became permanent invalids Gal were
discharged, anl few lost their voices or
had defective eye-sight or hearing.
SO much for the ravages OF disease in
tho army that IN civil life is considered
comparative mild malady
Perhaps no period of like duration was
more discourasing 70 the Union cause than
the winter Of 1853 The Army Of the Po-
toinao under Burasde had met with terri
bic disaster at fredericksburg, Va, De-
cember -, 1852; Sherman hal boon re-
pulsed with severe loss tae same moath al
ViclIsburg, and December 81, the last day
Of the year, was fought tho bloody battle
Of Stones RIVER or Murfree5bOro, b tween
the Union forces under General Isosacr2us,
and the Confedarates under General Bragg,
either side losing in killed aud wounded
eight to ten thousand men, and neither
winning decisive victory.
An unusual 3al9ant Of serious sickness
prevailed throughout the Gtmos that WIN
ter. One reason possibly was the great
amount of RAINFALL particularly in the
western and southwestern field of opera
tons. Another was the very large Access
sion of new troops. For SIX months after
enlistment, new regiment has to pass
through a sort OF winnowing process in
which the chat, so to speak, is separated
from the wheat; when the weaklings, the
soft tender, susceptible ones, either die,
or becoming unfit for duty, are discharged,
leaving the command with a lot of tried
men-as it were yeritablo survival Of the
fittest
Any way, tho winter of 1923 was one
OF peculiar encouragement to Union people.
Nearly all with whom the writer came in
contact at this period, most Of whom were
soldiers, seemed to feel this.
In and about Memphis sickness of a seri-
Gus character prevailed among the troops
all winter.
The regimental hospital was on one OF
tho main streets, and from its front win
dows several times daily could be seen o
slowly moving ambulance within which
was pine coffin containing the dead body
of q soldier, preceded by military band
playing dirge and followed by company
of soldiers with reversed arms. Farther
on in the suburbs was the soldiers burying
ground.
Erysipelas prevailed az an epidemic and
many suffered terribly from this disease.
When it attacked the face, it's favorite
site, the features were horribly swollen
and distorted, the eyes closed AID when all
was painted oyer with Iodine, q frequent
local remedy, the sufferers countenance
was as inhuman like as can be imagined.
Erysipelas, measles, rheumatism, typhoid
fever, dysentery and other fatal troubles,
carried off many men during the winter.
For time scarce day passed but one or
more men died at the regimental hospital.
AS one poor fellow after another was
carried out in his pine coffin tho writer re-
members thinking of the sad news the next
outgoing mail would convey to friends
away up North.
Some wife, mother or sister would for q
time lead a sa1der life and carry a heavier
heart. Before death, in the great majority
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